by Bill Gertz
North Korea poses an increasing danger of using long-range missiles capable of striking the United States with nuclear warheads and is fielding new road-mobile and submarine-launched missiles, the Pentagon said in a report to Congress made public Friday.
The Pentagon is working with South Korea, Japan and other countries to counter “the continued and growing threat from North Korea, its nuclear and missile programs, and its proliferation of related technology,” the report said, adding that the U.S. provides “extended deterrence” through both nuclear and conventional forces.
On the nuclear threat, the report singled out missile programs as a major worry.
“North Korea’s continued pursuit of nuclear technology and capabilities and development of intermediate- and long-range ballistic missile programs underscore the growing threat it poses to regional stability and U.S. national security,” the 30-page report states.
“North Korea’s pursuit of a submarine-launched ballistic missile capability also highlights the regime’s commitment to diversifying its missile force, strengthening the missile force’s survivability, and finding new ways to coerce its neighbors.”
North Korea’s submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) program was first disclosed by theWashington Free Beacon. In January, the first successful ejection test of the developmental SLBM was carried out.
The moment will come, when we will have to nuke North Korea and/or Iran. Both nations have a long history of irrational and profoundly beligerent behavior; and both are developing nuclear weapon systems capable of threatening the United States. That they are actively cooperating with one another, only increases the liklihood that one of them will attempt a pre-emptive attack… for which we will have every right to nuke them into oblivion.
The question is, what will that moment cost us? N.Korea is China’s primary proxy, and Iran is a Russian proxy, so any action we take against either of these strategic pawns, the more difficult our relations with Russia and China will rapidly become. With our current pansy of a pResident, the risk that Russia and/or China will respond disproportionately to any such event, is far greater than it has been since the peak of tensions durring the cold war.
Let us pray that, whoever next occupies the office of the President, they are capable and confident in re-establishing firm and positive relations which protect our national interests, without being too ‘hawkish’.